Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

318 URREA DEMANDS A SURRENDER.
a loss of but two soldiers, fifteen drivers and about forty
wagons. The Mexican loss we had no means of ascertaining, but the people of Cerralvo, subsequently informed us
that it amounted to between forty and fifty killed and wounded. It was General Urrea's last appearance in that theater,
from which we argue that he at least, did not think attacking
trains a very profitable business in the long rfzzn; or
agree with the Mexican historian that-"a guerrilla war
would have ruined the enemy and given success to the
Republic."
It should be stated that before the junction of our troops
was effected,-indeed but a few minutes after the departure
of Captain Bradley,-General Urrea commanding in our
front, sent a flag toward us, which Major Coffee volunteered
to meet midway, as it was not desirable that any of the
enemy should be allowed to inspect closely our force and
position. Its bearer, who did not speak English very intelligibly, was understood to inquire why we had violated a truce
by firing on the general-in-chief. This strange inquiry,
strange, because the truce was construed by us as extending
only to the rear-guard, served to show that General Urrea,
though more distant from the scene of contract than ourselves, was cognizant of it before we were; and strengthened
our suspicion that some preconcerted scheme was about to be
put in execution; and which was thwarted by our promptness in reinforcing the rear-guard. The demand for a surrender was also iterated, but the envoy was given to understand that General Urrea had failed to convince us of its
necessity; and that as his object in these parleys was evi